Product Description

Normal Sustain, Rosewood Bridges

Low Sustain Setup, Rosewood Bridges

During many conversations, I’ve been asked what would I include in an instrument built the way I would like it most. That got me thinking it might be wise and beneficial to simply offer a model called, for the lack of a better name, “The Russell Cook Edition”. How ingenius, huh?? So, what would I put in my dream instrument (which I play every day)?

Start with a 16/15 Ultralight

An extra 16th bass course which allows me to have a low C, D, G or A

Scalloped bridges which lightens them and makes them more flexible

Rosewood bridges which produce a rich mellow tone

Chromatic option

Redwood stripped into the soundboard to add just a touch of it’s attitude and tone

Redwood braces to amplify the effects of Redwood in the soundboard

Mahogany back to amplify and deepen tone

Redwood stripped into the back to amplify the effects of Redwood in the soundboard

Thinned and honeycombed internal endrails to lighten the instrument AND to create an extension of the soundboard thus making them musical rather than just structural

Note honeycombing technique in photo gallery

Thinned and tapered external endrails for the same reasons as the internal endrails

Dark stained top to visually aid seeing the strings in unusual or poor lighting

Extra slots along the edge of the soundboard to make it more vibrant

Separated bridge caps (Delrin) to help control sustain

Exotic wood in the endrails (my personal favorite!)

Wound Strings on lower end

Special sound hole inlays, exclusive to the Russell Cook Edition

Does it all make a difference and is it worth the trouble, time, and cost of doing it? I sincerely believe it does. If you want all you can get out of your once in a life-time instrument, this instrument is for you–I wouldn’t have anything else for myself.

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About

Master Works is a small group of craftsmen located in the rural southeast corner of Oklahoma dedicated to handcrafting hammer dulcimers, bowed psalteries and accessories while offering mountain dulcimers and other instruments that are easy to learn.